Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 109

Devanagari script

इन्द्र उवाच । जानाम्यहं चतुर्वक्त्र स्वं कायं पापसंयुतम् । चिह्नैर्ब्रह्मवधोद्भूतैस्तस्माच्छुद्धिं वदस्व मे

Transliteration

indra uvāca | jānāmyahaṃ caturvaktra svaṃ kāyaṃ pāpasaṃyutam | cihnairbrahmavadhodbhūtaistasmācchuddhiṃ vadasva me

Translation

พระอินทร์ทูลว่า: “โอ้ ผู้มีสี่พักตร์ ข้าพเจ้ารู้ว่ากายของข้าพเจ้ามัวหมองด้วยบาป มีรอยหมายอันเกิดจากบาปแห่งการฆ่าพราหมณ์ ดังนั้นโปรดบอกหนทางชำระให้ข้าพเจ้าด้วย”

Word by Word

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चतुर्वक्त्र: O four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्वक्त्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य सः)

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कायम् इति विशेष्य

• कायम्: body
• कायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पापसंयुतम्: tainted with sin
• पापसंयुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्+युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (पापेन संयुतम्)

• चिह्नैः: by marks/signs
• चिह्नैः: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मवधोद्भूतैः: arisen from Brahmin-slaying
• ब्रह्मवधोद्भूतैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मवध (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; उद्+भू)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मवधात् उद्भूतैः) चिह्नैः इति विशेष्य

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘therefore/from that’

• शुद्धिम्: purification
• शुद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वदस्व: tell (me)
• वदस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-एकवचन (Dative/Genitive sg)

Speaker

Indra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā (Caturvaktra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, once radiant, now bears ominous blemishes/signs on his body; he kneels before four-faced Brahmā, palms joined, requesting śuddhi-upadeśa.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Brahmā (Caturvaktra)
• Brahmavadha/Brahmahatyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Recognition of fault and humble seeking of guidance is the first step toward purification and restoration of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named yet; the request anticipates Brahmā’s instruction to undertake tīrthayātrā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general request for śuddhi (purification); the concrete prescription is given in the next verses.